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Implications for practice

■ Models of care supporting continuous support during labour were shown to be more likely to result in a spontaneous vaginal birth.

■ Women receiving continuous support required less analgesia and were less likely to report negative feelings about the birth experience.

■ Women receiving continuous support experienced shorter labours and their babies were less likely to have low 5-min Agpar scores. Therefore, such models of care should be considered for more extensive implementation in clinical practice settings.

Implications for nursing research

■ There is a need for further research into models of care, which provide continuity of care and support to women during labour and birth.

■ Future studies should compare outcomes between different types of continuous support (eg, support provided by persons of the woman's choosing and that provided by hospital staff) as well as the views of the people providing the support.

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